The pace at which new technology is impacting our everyday lives is increasing at lightning speeds. Healthcare is no exception. New technologies are beginning to allow healthcare practitioners to offer cheaper, faster and more efficient patient care than ever before. Everything from new artificial hearts to electronic aspirin, the technological innovation is slowly but surely materializing in the healthcare marketplace to offer real, concrete solutions for patients looking for care. These intriguing inventions have tremendous repercussions all across the healthcare world, for trained professionals of many disciplines as well as in pharmacy technician schools and medical office assistant colleges.

Of the many disruptions that should be reaching the masses soon, here are the some of the most fascinating new developments in the field of healthcare technology.

Microchips Modeling Clinical Trials

The potential to streamline, improve, and perhaps transform the current healthcare system is huge. Take for example microchip modeling clinical trials, which aim to replace the use of animals in laboratories to more accurately test the safety and efficacy of treatment for human patients and spare the lives of countless animals typically used in testing. These microchips are smaller than a human thumb and can emulate the complicated relationship between organs and capillaries. In one particular case, by eliminating animal models, scientists and doctors were able to reconstruct organs such as the human lungs by focusing on the use of microchips to imitate these bodily systems.

Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is still in its infancy, but various industries are already starting to experiment with products like Google Glass, including healthcare. Successful surgeries have already been performed while the surgeon was wearing Glass, giving him or her access to data in real-time. Wearable technology could eventually allow a doctor to interact with a patient, while simultaneously pulling up their digital medical history. There are even telemedicine opportunities made possible by technologies like Glass as well, allowing doctors and other medical professionals to provide clinical care in certain capacities from a distance. With technology improving communication between medical professionals and patients, more lives will be saved and superior healthcare will be provided.

Digestible Sensors

Approved in 2011, digestible sensors will continue to provide healthcare professionals with more information about the human body and how various treatment solutions affect each system of organs. A digestible sensor is one that transmits information about a patient to medical professionals to help them customize the care to the individual as well as the care provided to other individuals experiencing similar health conditions or ailments. Digestible sensors could also have applications for pharmacy technicians, and we might start seeing test programs in pharmacy technician colleges.

3D Printed Biological Material

3D printers today can produce just about anything, from replica models to machine parts to even food. The medical uses of the technology are also extremely promising and could solve over time many health issues, once techniques have been properly developed and tested. From embryonic stem cells to printed skin that can then be grafted onto a patient to blood vessels and heart tissues, 3D Printed Biological Material is clearly an area that should see tremendous activity and growth in the coming years.